Nadine Yousif
Reporting from Toronto
Image source, Reuters
Justin Trudeau’s apparent decision to step down — which has not yet been confirmed — marks the end of weeks of speculation about his political future, as his popularity among peers and the public has plummeted.
Trudeau, who has been prime minister for nine years, has been under pressure from members of his own party to resign since the summer, after the Liberals suffered a historic defeat in a Toronto by-election to their conservative rivals.
He is also behind in the polls. In December, only 22% of Canadians said they approved of his leadership.external – the lowest since coming to power in 2015.
Meanwhile, Pierre Poilievre, the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, has a nearly 24-point lead over Trudeau, signaling the possibility of a major defeat for the Liberals in the upcoming Canadian election.
Although Canada has a multi-party system, only the Conservatives and Liberals have managed to form a government.
Trudeau has already indicated his intention to run as Liberal leader in the next Canadian election, which must take place no later than October 20.
But after his chief minister Chrystia Freeland resigned in December, due to a disagreement between her and Trudeau, pressure grew within his own party on the prime minister to resign.
“He’s deluding himself if he thinks we can continue like this,” New Brunswick MP Wayne Long told reporters before the Christmas break.
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